It’s not often that I get to do stuff that not many people have done in terms of gaming, but to say I got a privileged look at a few of the big things coming from Sony over the next 6 months would be a rather big understatement.
Hidden within the confines of a rather big blue truck (with what has to be the SLOWEST automatic doors in the whole history of non-manual entry and exiting systems) were a nice little plethora of forthcoming games from the PlayStation makers. Move was there again to tease us with its intricacies, as well as a pre-alpha code version of Killzone 3 and a sneak peek at both Gran Turismo 5 and MotorStorm: Apocalypse. The only problem I have now is to work out where to start.
PlayStation Move
The best thing to do is go over something I’ve already been given an initial hands on with before, PlayStation Move. There was a section with the party game code that had been seen before, but in another area there was a new game to play around with and Sports Champions was its name. Think of this as Wii Sports, but with some more diverse events thrown in. I mean, you’re never going to get Gladiator Duels at any major event soon, are you (depends who’s asking – Ed).
Table Tennis, Archery and the Gladiator events were on offer here, with plenty more being made available at launch, which is only a few small weeks away. If I wasn’t sure about the depth perception and control of the remote stick before, I sure as heck am now. The Table Tennis showed a scary amount of accuracy in terms of spin being added to the ball dependent on the way you held the controller, as well as needing to lean in for shots that may fall a little short of your normal expected distance.
I lost to the other player, perhaps because I’m not as young or athletic as I used to be, but the ease of use, as well as the configuration is very impressive. The archery impressed in this way even further, with a second remote being added to the mix with absolute ease, namely moving them together and then pressing the Move button. Here you had to reach behind your back to physically take a bow from your quiver and then aim at the target, allowing for distance and wind.
The Gladiator Duel had you wielding a sword and shield in full battle against AI or human opponents, although I never remember Russell Crowe having to charge up a super strike before (I must have been sleeping during that bit). It was, for me, the weakest of the three, probably because I felt I’d seen it before on the Wii. The degree of depth perception was better, but I just felt a little under whelmed with the battling centurions.
Seeing more of what Move has to offer, I do sense that there is a really impressive piece of kit hitting the shelves in September. I’ve still to see how well it fares when played on some of the more serious games, but as it stands it could well give the Wii some serious competition.
Killzone 3
The level we got to see was the same one that had been on display at E3 earlier on this year and seeing it actually running, especially at such an early coding stage, was very scary. For those not too much in the know of all this weird gaming lingo, pre-alpha code is pretty much stuff that’s been written before they even finalise anything, which is referred to in that stage as beta, so it shows just how fresh this offering was. The controls are all of a similar layout to the second title, but the graphics were just so good to look at that it was almost like it was daring you to take your eyes away.
It is a bit weird seeing Helghan as a winter haven for all things cold, but the way the ice and snow look, especially with all that freezing cold water running through it allows for a different world from what we’ve seen in either of the previous games. It certainly got the blood pumping, as again the action was relentless, something that is becoming increasingly common with the franchise. Here’s hoping that the full game will have a decent length to it and not be over far too quickly. Sadly the multiplayer wasn’t available.
MotorStorm: Apocalypse
The MotorStorm series has been a mixed bag since its original release, with the original receiving huge plaudits and Pacific Rift being a little less accolade friendly. Apocalypse seems to have taken a huge page out of the Split/Second rule book and has buildings and roads changing shape as you drive through them. The main difference though is that you do not control them and when they happen. The demo was a point to point race with 16 drivers and had the added bonus of being in 3D. Bearing in mind I had never tried gaming with an added dimension before I didn’t know what to expect, but when I got into it, I was pleasantly surprised at just how well it works.
In no time I had people flying into the screen as I mowed them over while they were shooting at me, as well as debris and bits of vehicle heading towards my face (or at least giving that impression). There were a few things I noticed after having two attempts at the course. First one was that I was never going to get first, but the more important second point was that even though things happen around you, they seemed to be the same things. Whether or not this is because it’s merely a demo is unclear, but the first impressions are favourable, although I still prefer Split/Second at this moment in time. One to watch out for, that’s for sure.
Gran Turismo 5
Finally, the jewel in Sony’s racing crown looks ever surer to be coming out this November, especially on the form of the code we got to try out. Some people have said that Forza has had its own way for too long and that it needs its main rival back in the game. Others fear that because GT has been in development for so long that it won’t be able to compete with the Microsoft titles, due to their fan base and because of that lack of product from Polyphony. Heck, even I was beginning to get a little sceptical about the fifth GT.
Thankfully, I’m not anymore. What this showed me was just how far this game has come since Prologue and that anyone who writes this one off is going to be more than just a little bit wrong. The code allowed for two tracks, a city track in Rome and a dirt rally track, and seven cars to choose from, including the Mercedes which is being offered as a prize in a competition that only buyers of the ultimate edition can enter (lucky buggers).
My big worry about it was the PS3 controller. I’ve always felt that the 360 controller had better analogue control and that there was a bit more weight behind the sticks, but GT5 has thrown these thoughts aside. You always feel in control of the car and that any fault is your own, which I found out soon enough as I tried to brake using Forza controls, only then to find out that I was in fact changing gear.
Damage is there, as well as little extra visuals like air brakes and so on, but to actually be driving the cars of GT 5 in the game was great fun, especially when 3D was added. You could see some added depth in the out car views, but once you climbed into the driver’s seat you could really see the effect working. The dials looked sunk into the dash and the driver’s arms were coming out of the screen. This adds a great sense of extra dimensional clout to the game and could well be a very good advert for 3D gaming (well, for those with the cash to anyway). The proof in the pudding will come on the 5th November.
All in all this was a powerful display from Sony. Their big titles for this year, as well as their new gadgets for the PS3, show that the gloves are finally coming off and that Sony are starting to flex the muscles under the current consoles hood. Apocalypse could prove to be a return to form, but GT5 is so close you can smell the burning rubber and this is almost a fine reassurance that we WILL see it this year. Move could also be a big thing, as long as it doesn’t go down that “family orientated games only” road, but as things stand right now, things are looking good for the PlayStation 3.
Expect more coverage and reviews very soon.
